Octopus Energy suckers in punters with Nest monthly rental plan

Save a few squid with Nest's Learning Thermostat

Octopus Energy customers will be able to wrap their tentacles around a free Nest installation if they choose to pay for a Learning Thermostat on a monthly basis.

The new deal sees customers on any Octopus tariff able to get a Nest ‘stat for £6.99/month instead of the usual £199 and get everything installed for free to boot.

Aimed at short-term tenants who want to be able to cut down on bills but don’t see the pointing in shelling out for something that you won’t be easily able to take with you once you move out, this flexible rental plan would see you saving over £100 on first year costs.

Over 12 months, this works out at £83.88, significantly less than the average £250 price you’d pay for installation and the thermostat itself.

Homeowners or longer-term renters who will be staying for longer than two years may prefer to simply buy (and keep) a Nest Learning Thermostat, and you’ll be able to do that through Octopus Energy too; £249.99 will get you the 3rd gen Nest thermostat as well as a Nest Pro accredited engineer visit to set up the Nest Heat Link and make sure everything’s working.

Installation involves connecting the wireless Nest Bridge to mains electricity and unless you really know what you’re doing, it’s best to rely on the services of a professional electrician. As costs can vary depending on the type of boiler you have at home, opting for a free install if you can get it is a good potential money-saver.

Part of Octopus’s USP is that its fixed and variable plans deliver at least half of their energy from renewable sources. As well as this, there are no exit fees or long-term tie ins, which combined with the Nest rental offer, makes it an ideal choice for the budget and environment-conscious short term tenant.

Greg Jackson, Octopus founder said: “Octopus Energy is dedicated to delivering the best experience to customers, taking every aspect of our service seriously, from offering the best prices on energy to fast, effective customer care.

“By offering our customers access to intelligent technology, such as the Nest Learning Thermostat, we are not only helping people get the best deal on their energy needs, but also give them control of their usage.”